The general lab meeting 2.03

Cognitive research laboratory invites you to the general lab meeting. Preliminary paradigms for two experiments will be presented. In one of them, we are looking for the neurophysiological correlates of enthusiasm, and in the other, the relationship between stress levels and creativity.

Speakers:

• Marina Gerges – M.S. student, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT)
• Reema Deeb - M.S. student, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT)
• Ksenia Soloveva, PhD, MIPT, Tri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS) Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Emory, Atlanta, USA

Preliminary paradigms for two experiments will be presented. In one of them, we are looking for the neurophysiological correlates of enthusiasm, and in the other, the relationship between stress levels and creativity.

Language: English 
Date and time: 19:00 March 2, 2023
Link: https://sewanee-edu.zoom.us/j/84714043512 
Please, be aware: the meeting is planned both online and on Armyanskiy per. 4, c.2, Moscow, room 419.

Experiment 1:
Unlocking the Secrets of Enthusiasm: The Impact of Audiovisual Stimuli and Reward Motivation on Cortisol, EEG, and HRV
Marina Gerges

Abstract:
This study aims to investigate the mechanisms of enthusiasm and the possibility of inducing enthusiasm using external multimodal stimuli and reward motivation. Enthusiasm is a joyful emotion that is associated with achieving goals and can be contagious when shared with others. Intrinsic motivation describes people's innate propensities to be curious and interested, to strive for challenges, to practice and advance their skills, and to learn new things, even in the absence of rewards that can be divided into smaller, more manageable units. However, there is limited research on the relationship between motivation and enthusiasm. This study will involve 65 participants between the ages of 18 and 25, who will be randomly assigned to one of four groups: control, motivational video, reward video, or reward group. Saliva samples will be collected to measure cortisol levels, EEG and HRV data will be collected during a 40-minute Soma puzzle task. The study's objectives are to identify the correlation between cortisol levels and enthusiasm, determine patterns of EEG and HRV related to experiencing enthusiasm, figure out the change in HRV related to enthusiasm, and compare the effect of audiovisual stimuli and reward motivation on inducing enthusiasm. The study's findings may provide insights into the mechanisms that drive the spread of new ideas and behaviors within society.

Experiment 2:
Acute stress and creative thinking 
Reema Deeb

Abstract: 
The study is designed to examine the effect of acute stress on creative thinking. Previous studies have provided inconsistent results, with some showing that stress hinders creativity, some showing that it increases creative performance, and some showing an inverted U-shaped function. Our study aims to examine the creative process and the time course of creative thinking neural mechanisms under acute stress. EEG studies have revealed that electroencephalographic activity is highly sensitive to certain creativity-related factors, and the idea generation process is subdivided into three-time windows to observe changes in upper-frequency alpha power. Functional magnetic resonance studies have shown that the BV stage is mainly accompanied by default mode network activation, whereas the SR stage is accompanied by cognitive control network activation. We hope to investigate the effects of acute stress on creative thinking using the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST). The expected result is that individuals under stress recollect cognitive resources to cope with the stressor, and the activity of the part of the cognitive control network is significantly enhanced.